Euphoria (Arrangement Series Book 4)

by King Ellie

  Jagger growls and I chuckle walking off. “Oh, yeah…” I turn back. “Bubbie, you look scrumptious. Send me the information on this weird little contraption your husband has on. I have a few things I’d like to try,” I say walking backwards.

  “With whom?” Ainslee cocks her brow.

  I eye her up and down. “Could’ve been you but you’ve already got enough Hanlon dick and I come with a two for one special still…I think,” I say, not too sure if that’s true.

  Jagger gets out of the cuffs and I turn running away laughing because he will not stop what he was about to do to fight me. Plus, I have important business to take care of. My wife is back on the Island and it’s time I remind her who the fuck I am. I want answers.

  Bambi

  I don’t even have time to leave my office as my life is fully turned upside down with Bowie stepping foot in my office. He smirks and my heart beats faster than it should. “Hello, little lamb.”

  I blink. “Bow…” I whisper. He’s so gorgeous and even more for my eyes to behold. “I didn’t know you were here,” I say. I hadn’t checked on his IG.

  He walks up in my face. He was always so intense, just like Phoenix but in his own way. Bowie doesn’t believe in space. “You never said bye to me,” he says. His baby blue eyes shine. He cups my face in his hands and the smirk is gone. Here to stay is the anger he used to hide. Has he learned to manage it? Is he no longer feeling like no one loves him?

  I open my mouth to talk and before I can get a word out he kisses me hard. He walks me back slamming my back against a wall. I don’t even know what’s going on. I gasp and our tongues tango making it known that it doesn’t matter how long it’s been, I will always be his too. Bowie groans and lets me go. “I will make you regret ever leaving without so much as a goodbye, little lamb,” he says with unfiltered anger and walks away before I can even hold on to him.

  I watch him leave. He’s dressed like he was just lounging at home and I know that beanie hides him from the paparazzi here. He slips out of my office and I slide down to the floor. What was I thinking in coming back here?

  Chapter 5

  Phoenix

  “I did it for you!” I hear Bambi’s voice, but her voice morphs into something else. Someone that has been out of my mind for years now.

  “You are evil! You don’t need my protection!” She yells at me in Greek, pushing me out the front gates. “Why would I do that when you prove to me time and time again that you can’t comprehend something simple! Go to him! Go to your father! I don’t want you!”

  I stare up at her shivering in my underwear. “But he hurts me, mama. He put me in the scary place last time.”

  Her golden-brown eyes stare off into the distance. “What did you do?”

  “Nothing. All I did was tell him to let the rabbit die after he got hurt. I don’t understand why it needs to go to the vet to be saved. Shouldn’t it die to stop the pain? The rabbit was in pain.”

  She shudders. “Go to him and stay there. Even if he hurts you, you’ll take it. Go!”

  The faces morph again and there Bambi is again, this time when she was 16. Laying on her bed, staring at her stepfather.

  “Please leave…” her voice barely a whisper. At that moment, everything in me shattered even more. I wanted to beg her to let me stay with her. That I could be what she wanted me to be. That I could change and love her. I know I could.

  “Phoenix!” Someone behind me calls my name. I shake my head, clutching my ears. It’s hurting me. It’s too high pitch.

  “Leave me alone!” I scream.

  “Phoenix!” I hear it again. “Phoenix! Wake up, dammit!” I hear Orion’s voice break through whatever dream/nightmare I was having.

  My eyes pop open, and I rapidly blink. This isn’t right. “Where am I?” I look around my loft. It’s as empty as I’ve always had it.

  “You didn’t answer your phone for a week.” The look in my brother’s green eyes tells me what I know. I’ve had one of my episodes.

  I look down at my body, it’s covered in blood. I know I had a mark to kill and an example to prove for the Bishops, but I don’t remember when I lost it. “Bambi…” I say.

  “She’s fine,” he assures me. “Get up.” Orion commands me. He stands up, pulling me up with him. I’m disoriented, so it takes a while to walk on my own without support.

  “I’ve got it,” I say to Orion getting out of his hold.

  “You don’t. You were speaking in Greek in your sleep and you never do unless something is wrong or you’re having a nightmare.”

  “I don’t need anybody helping me!” I yell and shove at Orion.

  “We’re not doing this again, Nix. We’re just not! I will never not protect you. You’re my blood. That’s what we do,” he says with conviction.

  I take a step back, glaring at him. I shake my head. I know he’s right but my nightmare is fucking with my reality. “Call Dr. Lee, Ry.”

  “I’ve tried. He’s not here, but I can help you. Get in the tub,” Orion says firmly.

  I nod sharply. I walk to my bathroom and once I’m in there I don’t hesitate as I get in the ice-bath. I take a deep breath and let it out as the bath big enough for me engulfs me. I dip my entire head in and forget it all, concentrating on how cold I am right now.

  After the ice-bath session, I change into some fresh clothes and meet Orion in my empty kitchen.

  “Let’s go,” he says once he spots me.

  “Go where?” I ask suspiciously.

  Orion glares at me, but I know there’s no actual anger in them. “Ainslee wants to see you. You had her worried, well all of us. What the fuck, man!”

  I see it in his face now, Orion looks like he hasn’t slept. “You okay?” I ask.

  Orion runs his fingers through his hair. He’s growing his hair out again so some falls back on his face. He shakes his head and walks away. I sigh, following him out and I lock my loft up with a keypad. I climb in the passenger side of Orion’s range.

  “Sneakers and socks are in the back. I can’t have you walking around barefoot,” he says.

  I smile and nod sharply. “Thanks.” I reach in the back and get those items. “Talk to me, man.” I say as I put the items on.

  Orion clutches the steering wheel and shuts his eyes. “I thought you were gone man, like mom. I thought I made a mistake by having you meet Bambi and Bowie again. I can’t lose you, Nix. Don’t do that shit again. I’ll fucking kill you.”

  I can’t help but chuckle. “You just told me you can’t lose me and that you’re going to kill me, all in the same sentence?”

  Orion opens his eyes and glares again.

  I put my hands up. “Fine, fine. I promise, nothing is going to happen to me. I wouldn’t do that to you.”

  “Good,” he says as he starts the engine and peels out of the driveway.

  “Ry?” I call out to him.

  “What?”

  “You did the right thing by getting me to meet them again. I never thought I was good enough to be with a gentle soul like that but now, my mind is clear. I’m what she deserves and as for Bowie, I didn’t see him face to face but I’ll pay that fucker a visit. We put that shit behind us already.”

  Orion grunts but I know he heard me.

  I stare out the window. Wherever my little deer is, today is the last day of her freedom. I’m hers and I’m going to show her what that means.

  Bambi

  I haven’t seen Phoenix or Bowie in a week ever since they both walked out of my office. It pains me to say this but I can admit that I miss them much more than I missed them before. It was different living off the Island in the states where I could avoid seeing either of their faces as long as I didn’t check certain social media updates. I was in my bubble but now that I know how close they are to me I don’t know how to not search for them everywhere I go. It’s like this time, they’re running from me, which would be a joke because neither of them are runners. They never run from their truth like I did. They f
ace that shit head on.

  I sigh, bringing myself back to my reality. Today is my moving day. I can say that I can afford to live in a penthouse courtesy of my parents who are well off. They aren’t on the Founder family level but we are comfortable. I smile at the movers as I meet them in the lobby.

  “Miss Vasquez?”

  “Hello. Thank you for moving my things in,” I say.

  The mover Jeremy smiles showing off his pearly whites against his dark skin. He’s attractive but in my eyes no one could ever be as beautiful as Phoenix and Bowie. Looking at them both is like trying your best not to stare at the sun too long. It’s blinding but so worth it when you see the beauty in all of its glory.

  “Me and my men will have everything settled in less than two hours max. Are you okay with that, Miss Vasquez?” He gives that smile again.

  I smile right back at him. “Thank you and you can call me Bambi,” I say.

  Jeremy takes me in. “Well, Bambi it is. Nice to meet you.” He stretches his free hand, his left out to me. “Sorry,” he chuckles.

  “That’s okay!” I hesitate for a second but I stretch out my left hand too, shaking his. Jeremy lingers a little in letting my hand go and then a handcuff is placed around my wrist. The world around me freezes for a second as I zero in on the hand wrapping around my wrist. I recognize that cross tattoo on-his-middle-finger anywhere and the colorful sleeve tattoos peeking through the long sleeve shirt as he places the other cuff to his wrist.

  I gasp and look up, seeing Phoenix. Tears come at their own accord and I’ve never been so happy to see him. I don’t think as I hug him. I don’t care how uncomfortable it is with the damn cuffs. It should worry me that he’s cuffed me to him but I don’t care about that. I’m just happy he’s in front of me.

  “What is this?” He asks. His surprised tone makes me sob.

  “I thought you were gone. I thought I’d never see you again,” I confess not caring about anybody around us.

  Phoenix chuckles, his body vibrating, displaying that this is very much funny to him. “My little deer. You still can’t function without me much, can you?” He teases.

  “Shut up.” I sob and tighten my hold on him.

  I don’t know what’s wrong with me but if Phoenix thinks he’s going to disappear from my sight again he’s got another thing coming.

  I sit on the countertop with my cuffed wrist while Phoenix stands but leans back on it for support while watching Jeremy and his crew move everything in.

  “Did you hire them?” Phoenix asks while replying to messages on his phone.

  “Yes,” I answer. “Can you take off these cuffs?”

  “No,” Phoenix snorts. “You deserve this and so much more, deer.”

  I roll my eyes, pulling at my left cuffed wrist and cross my arms over my chest. “This is ridiculous.”

  Phoenix looks at me from the corner of his eye, “Your tits are bigger than I remember. Used to be bee stings before.”

  “What?” I look down at the back of Phoenix’s hand that’s sitting nicely on my breast. I pull my arms apart and roll my eyes again.

  “You must want me to make this worse for you all in a day’s work. Keep rolling your eyes at me,” Phoenix threatens.

  How the hell would he know what I’m doing if he’s not even looking at me? Phoenix maneuvers his right wrist around and clasps his fingers, intertwining them with mine.

  “I’m confused,” I admit out loud, staring down at our joined hands. “What are you doing, Nix?”

  “Shut up. You don’t get to question me on shit.”

  Before I can reply, Jeremy walks over to us. I try to remove my hand from his but Phoenix tightens the hold, making it unbearable. My lashes flutter.

  “Miss Vasquez, I mean, Bambi. We’re almost all done here. Two guys are setting up the things in your bedro—.”

  “Tell them to get the fuck out of our bedroom. I’ll put the shit together,” Phoenix says without looking at Jeremy.

  “I, err, umm, well Miss Vasquez paid for the whole setup including the delivery.”

  “I don’t give a fuck,” Phoenix says and finally looks up at Jeremy. The cheeriness that Jeremy just had is gone. “Mrs. Moralis-Hanlon is good. Take your men and go before I put you all out.” Phoenix smirks. “You don’t want that, trust me. I’m already on edge.”

  “Moralis-Hanlon?” I repeat and as if I’ve conjured him up too Bowie walks in looking like he’s just stepped out of the magazine. How did he even get in here?

  “Are you questioning your last name, little lamb?” He asks.

  I open my mouth to talk, but I choke on my words. I clear my throat and try again as he eyes Phoenix up and down. “What, what are you doing here?” I ask.

  “It’s moving day but you didn’t even contact your husbands to help you move?”

  “I don’t nee—” I stop just as Bowie walks right up in between my opened legs and places his palms flat on the counter, trapping me in his space.

  His anger is so pronounced I whimper. “Finish that fucking sentence, Bambi and I’ll correct you in the worst way. Just fuck it up once so I can show you just how angry I am with you.”

  I breathe hard. Him being so close to me, I involuntarily inhale his scent, earthy and fresh, like he’s just come out of a shower. His lashes are long, and they touch his cheek every time he shuts his eyes. His bushy brows are the only imperfection on his face yet they’re perfect to me. Everything about him makes me want to cry because I missed him. My heart feels like it’s being ripped out of my chest. Nothing else matters to me. I don’t think as I wrap my arms around Bowie’s neck and hug him. “Please don’t go,” I whisper.

  Bowie’s body is the first sign that he’s uncomfortable. He stiffens and tries to pull away but I won’t let go. I wrap my legs around him and hold on even tighter. “Let go, Bambi, I don’t need this shit,” he grits through his teeth.

  “No, please just a minute. Just… I thought you were gone. I thought you both left me,” I confess.

  Bowie is silent for a minute and then he wraps his arm around my waist pulling me even closer. He rests his head on my shoulder and I feel his lips on my neck as he turns into it. “Fuck,” he says.

  “Fuck is right,” Phoenix states.

  After Jeremy and his guys leave, I glare at both men with the meanest mug I could muster up. “What is going on with you guys? You both left for a week and now you’re back with orders?” I say calmly.

  Phoenix continues on his phone like he doesn’t hear me. I sit quietly and wait. I know him; he doesn’t function like a normal human being and neither do his thoughts. While nagging would be fun, it’s exhausting for me and as for him, it won’t change his demeanor right now. As for Bowie, he’s hanging back against the wall leaning towards it like he’s ready to bolt and never see me again. He tilts his head and looks at me.

  “Where do you get off asking us questions? A week was too much for you to bear, was it?”

  I sigh. When Bowie says he’s mad at you, he means it. Although he has a very laid-back personality, it means nothing with him being pissed off. “I just…” I sigh. “Forget it.”

  Bowie scoffs. “You could’ve called or something. Or I don’t know, sent a fucking postcard,” he starts.

  I’m taken back by his attitude. “There’s no need for the attitude.”

  He chuckles. “If you think this is me giving you an attitude you don’t remember me well because baby, that shit is so much worse now. I’m not that 18-year-old boy who worshipped the ground that you walked on or the air that you breathed. I’m a grown ass man who will make your world collapse when I make you mine again. I’ll split the ground that you walk on, making sure that you fall deep into the damned sinkhole that I will create. You won’t come back out, there won’t be anyone who will rescue you out of there. You are going to worship the very air that I breathe and you’ll know what it’s like to pant after a man of my stature.”

  “What if I don’t want you?”

  B
owie bites his lip not saying anything and Phoenix snickers as if he knows what I’m saying is a complete lie. Bowie straightens from the wall and walks over to me with his hands in his jeans’ pockets. I take in his attire; he looks like a hipster rockstar with the simple black long sleeve shirt that resembles a silk pajama top. The white line that is outlining the lapels and the sleeves of his shirt makes him look even more stylish. The bottom of his black distressed jeans is tucked into black Chiseled toe boots and the accessorizing of his chains and rings makes him who he is, Bowie Hanlon. By the time I look into his eyes he’s in my space again but this time he doesn’t trap me. Instead, he grabs me by my jaw and kisses me hard. I itch for him; my nails want to dig deep and make permanent scratch marks on his body as I kiss him back just as hard. It’s hard to think about anything else or do more because I am helpless with him.

  I feel as my body is lifted so I wrap my arms around Bowie’s body. We shift and I feel Phoenix behind me. I groan as I feel Phoenix’s teeth on my shoulder. His entire body is just as hard as Bowie’s. Bowie rips his lips away from mine and we fall into the pattern like we’ve never left it. Phoenix grabs the back of my neck and kisses me while Bowie sucks on my neck leaving proof of the fact that he was there. He grinds his body on me and I feel how hard he is. Not just from his lean body but every part of him contracts as he touches me. I feel Bowie’s hands as it holds me in place while Phoenix uses his free hand to glide under my shirt, dipping into my bra and rubs my nipple. I moan into his mouth and Bowie moves his waist, practically showing me what I’m missing. I can’t help but respond to it except Phoenix locks me in as both him and Bowie move to the same rhythm.

  My entire body shudders and realizes too late what they’re doing. It triggers memories of when they first both took me. When they showed me what genuine pleasure is like and dear God, I miss it way too much. Bowie nips at my ear as Phoenix stops kissing me. They both attack their own side of my neck, my ear, and I know the bites will stay.